Am I the only 1 to notice that Randy Wayne White's recurring character, Dr. Marion Ford, bears a slight resemblance to the classic Florida boat bum character, Travis McGee, developed by John D. MacDonald and played out more than the course of 21 novels? Or perhaps it is such an apparent observation that no 1 else believed it was worth the exertion of power to mention. Regardless, we have two middle-aged men with military/covert operation expertise in their early adult life, athletic as youth, in a position to nonetheless deal with themselves nicely in a brawl, and somewhat obsessive with their routine for acquiring back into shape as soon as they detect the beers are starting to outnumber the pushups.
Let's take a appear at the cohorts.
So several outstanding creations of fiction have a second fiddle to play off, a trusty companion loosely orbiting the identical planet, although kept at a particular distance, who can be counted on to swoop in and save the day now and then. Exactly where would Batman be without having Robin?. Ernie without having Bert? Butch Cassidy without the need of the Sundance Kid? Travis McGee was accompanied on his adventures by a brief, stalwart, bull of a man named Meyer. Economist by trade, fellow boat bum by nature, Meyer was covered with a thick "black pelt" of hair. On the other hand, Doc Ford's sidekick was a scrawny, psychic, sarong wearing hippie by the name of Tomlinson. If you judge a man by the organization he keeps, I am going to have to contact it a draw once picking which man would be preferable to have your back once the you know what hits the you know Exactly where.
Ladies. You cannot genuinely talk about either Travis McGee or Doc Ford with no mentioning the parade of female companionship in their lives. Every has loved and lost viciously, although Ford appears to be intent on leaving a trail of illegitimate kids across the planet. So far, he's got one particular in Central America and a single in Iowa. In each instances, fate intervened, as it generally does in fiction, to frustrate our hero's finest plans. He really wanted to marry the mother of Every, but the initially did not want him and the second returned to her lesbian roots. Ouch! It cannot be mentioned that Travis McGee has fared substantially superior. Even though apparently far more knowledgeable in the location of birth handle, he loves and loses with equal abandon.
Physically, McGee is taller and, as a former school football player, prepared to rough and tumble with the ideal of them. Ford was a higher college wrestler and fights with a grim tenacity borne of his psyche and military education as a "specific" agent. What would come about if you tossed them in the ring collectively and place a damsel in distress in the middle? Exciting query. 1 which we leave to MacDonald and White fans to resolve in their personal minds. As for me, I am going with Travis by a smidgen in this contest.
CD Dowell is a contributor to Florida Pulp, an on the net chronicle of the superb writing, music, film, and meals that seeps from the southernmost swampland, and can be found at http://www.CDDowell.com. Subscribe for absolutely free after you take a look at the web page. If you like writers with names like Tim Dorsey and Carl Hiaasen, you also could be interested in the truth that CD writes his personal brand of semi-crazed Florida novels, such as the not too long ago released, Beaches & Bullets. Download and study the 1st half for cost-free ahead of deciding if you want to obtain the rest.
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